I have one of the 1st CLK63BS that was built in 2007 but my AMG Serial Number ends in 0351.

Do we know if they did a count down on assigning the AMG numbers or was it random?

Maybe someone with a later build date could chime in with their AMG Serial Number...

Jim

 

The lowest AMG number that I am aware of is 00241.

Also 00251, built 06/07, is listed on the internet, here:

http://www.phillipsauto.com/web/vehicle_photos/1386971/

I am not sure what number AMG used to start numbering our cars, or whether they are any gaps in the sequence either.

 

is there any where we can determine which of 350 our unit is? Or which of a certain color?

 

367 came to the US. I think someone may have said the VIN numbers were mixed with other AMG cars being produced at the time. If so, it would be next to impossible to come up with a production # order.

 

but with a number sooo low....MB has to have a list somewhere!

 

The VIN is mixed with other cars and Mercedes never released a build number list. I think it was asked a while back on the PL.

 

There is a thread somewhere on this forum with most of the VIN numbers along with color and maybe a build date. You can do a search and see. Having said that, I believe that the numbers are jumbled. No particular sequence.

 

I believe this the last version of the list that was put together in one of the threads last year compiling VIN numbers, AMG number and build dates

 

list has 132 cars......where are the rest? Or plz clarify. 8 red ones in that list. And most of the cars have NA as a build date. How does this help?

 

The majority of the information contained has come from public information that was contained in sales listings from the internet.

Build dates were only listed when there was 1) a picture of the VIN sticker included in the listing, 2) a CafFax report showing when the vehicle was first registered, or 3) build date information was directly supplied by the owner of the vehicle.

A few MB World members supplied some additional detailed information as well.

Any additions or corrections that you might want to add to the list will be welcomed.

The list that was posted above was dated May 12, 2010. There have been updates, since then.

If you send me a PM with a regular e-mail address, I will send the current listing to you.

JDB

 

How many were built worldwide anyway?

 

500 worldwide, 367 of those in the US

 

Not according to Jeremy Clarkson (the tall guy from BBC's Top Gear) which he also happens to own a CLK Black Series as well. According to Jeremy, as he noted on his article "...When I first tested the 6.2-litre CLK Black, only 300 of which were built". And of course Jeremy Clarkson being a Journalist and a member of the most reputable car show in the world (Top Gear in BBC), I am 1000% that he gets his facts down pact before he publishes them on London Times articles bearing his name (particularly when he also owns one)...so be assured that this information about "only 300 of which were built" was obtained by higher ups in Mercedes/AMG. ;-) In the British episodes of Top Gear, Jeremy, along with Richard Hammond and James May drive the most exotic cars you can imagine, and are also in contact with all executives from all high-end car manufacturers you can imagine...and that includes Mercedes Benz as well and AMG in Affalterbach. There is an article Jeremy wrote in the London Sunday Times newspaper, however, in order to view it you must be a London Times subscriber. I've read the article myself before London Times, started limiting access to non-subscribers, and indeed Jeremy noted that only 300 CLK Blacks Series were ever made. If you search on any internet search engine by using key words such as "300 built CLK Black Series Jeremy Clarkson"... I am sure you will find plenty references to that regard yourself as well. On same article about the CLK Black in London Times, Jeremy also noted "...I signed my review off by saying that no one’s life was complete without one and shortly afterwards put my money where my pen was. Yup. I bought one..."

Someone luckily copied and pasted the entire article from Jeremy Clarkson on a German Car Forum...here is the link...enjoy!! 'Cause if you have a CLK 63 AMG Black Series, consider yourself one of the 300 lucky ones world-wide...and yes that includes Jeremy as well. ;-)

http://www.germancarforum.com/commun...-series.31368/

If you are a subscriber and have access to London Times, here is the direct link:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article6907705.ece

In addition, Jeremy has three video clips (one off of Top Gear and the other off of his DVD) talking about the CLK Black Series... and the third clip where Jeremy drove a Lotus F1 and also his Black Series (9:07 through 11:22 minute on third link) on the Top Gear track and he did some analogies between the F1 and the CLK Black as far as the braking and the time it required to corner etc (links to all clips below)... I am sure all of you have seen these clips somewhere at one point in time. However, the London Sunday Times article is not as widely known so I am sure you will enjoy it if you own a CLK Black as well!!!





Cheers!!!

 

My number for US deliveries is accurate according to sales figures AMG released to the official private lounge message boards 3 or so years ago. 367 to the US. (It was a spreadsheet that also made it know they only ever sold 30 R63's to the US market.) And the original press releases and promotional materials mentioned sales world-wide of around 500. Clarkson was working from the data he was given before the car was being sold to customers. The originally only intended to sell 350 to the US market, but re-allocated 17 more due to demand.

Now this is where it gets weird. The official announcement for the C63 Black Series last year stated they made 700 CLK63 Black Series, the first time a number that high is mentioned about CLK63 production numbers. I'm not usually one given to conspiracy theories but that leaves one of two possibilities. They lied three~four years ago about the number of CLK63 Blacks produced to make them seem more exclusive than they actually were...or they are lying now and inflating the production numbers of the CLK to make it look like the C63 is just as exclusive...even though they are actually making more than the CLK worldwide.

Either way we're unlikely to get a straight answer.

 

Both of your notes are good and logical, which I have to admit at one point in time they did go through my mind. Is it possible that Mercedes would "down-play" an older model, so to sell more of a new one? I have to admit, you raised a very good point! Yes, it is possible. Businesses do that all the times...in order to maximize their sales. It may not make sense to you and me...since there is more to it than just sales (i.e. reputation, etc.), but hey...I am sure the way they look at it at Mercedes Benz is that it won't harm their reputation if they are dealing with just talks about how many of the CLKs were produced compared to the C63 Black Series. Let's not also forget that Jeremy on one of the recent Top Gear episodes he had the chance to review the C63 Black Series, and he did not praise it as much as the CLK Black. In fact, based on Jeremy's review, one would think that he disliked the C63 Black Series (the C63 Black review starts at 6:00 minute on the clip below). In any case, I am drifting away from the point. To get back to the conversation...since Jeremy (and usually a Journalist of his caliper) gets his information directly from the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Mercedes, I would think it makes more sense that Jeremy's figures are solid and vetted. I am sure the debate as far as the bottom line production numbers of the CLK Black Series will never rest...here or anywhere else...no matter what. But what matters above all, is that at the end of the day...it keeps us talking about a car that is well worth talking about...thankfully and greatfully because of forums like this one!!!

 

And I'm saying Jeremy's article, videos, etc from 2007 were probably accurate at the time. But the 367 for the US comes from official Mercedes sales figures released in 2009. I understand the "I'm going to believe ______ because it helps my argument more" but the conflicting information is newer and comes from a more reliable source than Jeremy Clarkson. And I'm almost positively sure you pulled the "Jeremy talks to the Cheif Marketing Officer" out of think air, but feel free to cite a source for that information. Not trying to be mean, just making a point.

Anyway, straight from the official MB AMG press release for the C63 Black Series announced 07-22-2011, 08:34 PM:

I'm not arguing about the 300 number, because that's just inaccurate. I take issue with the fact that up until this press release in July 2011, every source and article I saw (besides Jeremy Clarkson) mentions a production run of 500 units worldwide and 350 for the US (later increased to 367 to meet demand).


Automobile Magazine Feb 2009
Road and Track June 2007
Motor Trend August 2007
Strange that's there's suddenly 200 more in the world when the C63 Black was announced in July 2011.

 

I see your point...and I too agree that it is strange that there is suddenly 200 more in the world when the C63 is announced. I was always sceptical as far as their production figures and now I am even more, particularly with these figures being unveiled as they are about to release the C63 Black. Btw, I am not saying you are wrong and that you made up the 700 number... The 700 (even a 500 figure) have been around since 2008, and I've heard about both rumors and read all articles about these various figures...even before the press release of the C63 Black. As far as the CMO part, there is another article (on London Times) where Jeremy talked about the CLK suspension and how he thought it was on the harder site (Jeremy liked his suspension a bit softer) and he talked about getting in touch with a Marketing Executive Officer who had also been responsible for developing the (I believe either McLaren or Lotus suspension; can't remember which one now)...but in any case...the point is that he gets his figures from the higher ups...whether they are CFOs, CEOs, or whatever they are called. All I am saying...a Journalist of his caliper is not going to just go with the word of a mechanic off of a local MB shop. As far as the pre-production figure versus the afterwards...ok I understand what you are trying to say...and that's reasonable. I just find it extremely suspicious that a "pre-production" figure of 300 world-wide, would become a post production of 700. More than double? I don't know about you...but being sceptical about the 700 figure is just an understatment. I mean...I can understand them saying...hey we are producing an extra 10, or even 17 (like you said) units more, which would definately be reasonable. But going from 300 to 700?

 

Jeremy knows quite a few of the guys at Lotus. He got their chief suspension engineer to adjust the coilovers on the CLK63 black to improve the ride and shave two seconds off its Top Gear Test track time, from 1:26 to 1:24 something, nice to have friends in high places.

 

In any case, I think MB is doing a lousy job in getting the correct figures out there, and it simply reflects bad as far as their marketing. Just to throw some humor to the topic...we shouldn't be surprised if Mercedes Benz on their upcoming (perhaps in 2014) Black Series release, announces that the CLK production figure went up by another 200, to a revised total of 900. So, basically you buy a car in 2008...thinking you are one of the 300 lucky ones...then the following year you become one of the 400 lucky ones...in 3 years, one of the 500 lucky ones...and in 4 years you have become one of the 700 lucky ones!!! Man that's great!!! LMAO!!! Don't give me wrong though...I would still feel lucky even if I was one out of 900, which chances are that this may be the case by 2014... LOL

 

Thanks mate!!! I thought I wasn't losing my mind!! I am glad you chimed back in cause there was no way in the word I would have been able to site this reference off of the Sunday London Times that I've read in the past, particularly since I don't have access to it...I am not a subscriber. Great!! Thank you for the post!! True...always nice to have friends in high places!!!

 

On the bright side, a six-month old thread is been revived to keep all CLK Black owners entertained with old time classic Top Gear Youtube videos and MB press releases!! I am glad we did though!! We all learn new things...and I know I did...I always thought the CLK Black did 1:26 at Top Gear track. Now...with the 1:24 makes the day even better!!! ;-)

 

Sprayed my morning OJ all over the monitor reading that!

Top Gear is more of an entertainment show more than a real car show. They don't let facts get in the way of their scripting to make things much more entertaining. I did buy the CLK BS because of his reviews though, so I guess his style of marketing works.

I posted this in another thread, but if you watch all 3 review clips (CLKBS TG, CLKBS Thriller, CBS TG), you'll notice that he says the exact same things about both cars, but loves the CLKBS and tired of the CBS.

Having owned both cars, the CBS is simply a small step up... a minor evolution, tweaked version of the CLKBS. Both are amazing cars and are very similar.

 

LMAO. Yes...that makes two of us...cause I ended up driving 150 miles away from where I live just to test drive the CLK Black, before I ended up buying one. You are correct...I guess their marketing techniques do work. As for the C63BS, I only recall Jeremy not being too pleased with the C63BS because it was not as stable (spining and losing control) when he was drifting at the Top Gear track. It could have been his driving...who knows...but I very much doubt it, as he loves drifting and am sure by now he knows the basics of how to drift a car. Not that he is a great car driver or anything...but at least he knows the basics as far as drifting on the bends. I am sure is a great car though. I agree and it only makes sense that as an evolution model...it is more improved. Come to think of...Jeremy also had the same problem with the SL Black, which I like a lot as well. That car did not get good reviews as well. Now, I won't give Mercedes/AMG much credit when it comes to aesthetical improvements of the C63BS, cause it certainly looks more like a step down from the CLK Black, and not a step up. A car is not just performance but looks too. I am sure there is a lot of of others sharing the same feeling about the looks of the C63BS. It almost looks as a 4 door sedan (take out two doors). Not much difference. Definately not as sporty and elegant as the CLK Black. I mean...when you see the C63BS, you know it is a more recent model...headlights and everything... but more people would remember the CLK Black years from now, and not too many the C63BS as much. I may be wrong but who knows...

 

Just saw a Blue clk63 AMG on my way back to the office from lunch. Me, getting off the freeway in my 99 E55 AMG sees the familiar rear end and as I approach I see that its a brilliant blue CLK63 AMG. I get into the left turning lane, he is in the right lane also turning left. He guns it a little out of the turn. Beautiful car!

 

Nice!!! Thanks for sharing!! Yes...very rare to see these beauties out on the street!! Here is a pic of another CLK Black in blue color off of the flickr (probably not the same CLK Black as the one you saw), even though blue is not an OEM paint. Blue does appear to be a very nice color for the CLK Black. I am guessing the brilliant blue tone though you saw would look even better.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robbert...n/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/w__l/5787560374/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jespervdn/5812579954/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robbertk/4643874139/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robbertk/4986454382/